§ Mr. Hayhoeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, under current statutory provisions, dismissal for not joining a union specified in a union membership agreement will affect an individual's entitlement to unemployment benefit; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. MeacherThe law does not provide that dismissal for not joining a union will affect unemployment benefit. What Section 20 of the Social Security Act 1975 does provide is that a person may be disqualified for receiving unemployment benefit if he has lost employment through misconduct, or has voluntarily left employment without just cause. Any question arising as to whether a person, who has been dismissed for not joining a union, should be disqualified under Section 20 would be for consideration by the independent adjudicating authorities in the light of the facts of the individual claim.
§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals she has to review the present system under which unemployment benefit for those working short-time is based on the 540W assumption of a six-day week, in the light of the fact that a five-day week is increasingly becoming the norm in British industry.
§ Mr. O'MalleyI assume the hon. Member has in mind the suggestion that the daily rate of unemployment benefit for a five-day worker should be one-fifth of the weekly rate when he works short time, instead of one-sixth. Apart from the benefit costs involved, such a provision, differentiating between five-day workers and six-day workers, would be complicated to administer and difficult for claimants to understand. No change in this direction could be contemplated at present, but I shall be writing to the hon. Member.